Cara Delevigne: ‘Make-up is not just about being beautiful – it’s self-care’

Embrace Pink

Don’t ever tell Cara you can’t wear pink and be a feminist. ‘Femininity is not defined by a colour,’ she says. ‘I feel “feminine” when I wear pink but, you know, men should wear pink; it doesn’t have to be feminine. Feminine should mean strength, and women should feel strong no matter what they wear. It doesn’t matter if you’re naked, it doesn’t matter if you’re completely clothed – you should feel strong in who you are and you should have the same rights as everyone else.'

Mix It Up

Cara has always been something of a beauty chameleon, so it’s no surprise that she switches up her lipstick according to the hour. ‘The texture and finish are so important. At night, I prefer a bit of a shine and, in the day, I often go for matte. Right now, I’m wearing the Dior Addict Stellar Shine Lipstick in Dior Celestial (£30, Dior) [a deep shimmering purple]. Be Dior [a hot pink] is another favourite because it’s such a classic, foolproof colour.'

All Inclusive

‘I think beauty is generally moving towards a more inclusive place. Everyone should have the right to feel beautiful and no one should ever be made to feel ugly. Ugly people are the ones that use hate – it’s really got nothing to do with what you look like in my opinion. We all desire to change things about ourselves but when we realise we don’t need to change anything, we are enough... That’s what I want beauty to feel like.'

Confidence Trick

‘My confidence-boosting make-up tip is to experiment. I’m so lucky to have had my make-up done by so many incredible people that, actually, I think I have been lazy with learning how to do it myself. But make-up is not just about being beautiful – it’s self-care. It’s knowing you care enough about yourself to express yourself in a certain way and that is part of self-love. It’s not something you need to get completely right – it’s something you can enjoy and have fun with.'

Take Time Out

‘I think of my energy as an inner fire. I try to take care of myself a lot more now in terms of taking time off and doing a meditation course. That’s one of the most important things I do in my day because, in our industry, we have to put on a mask and sometimes we forget how we are feeling. I think everyone needs to check in with themselves. Some people hold things in for so long and that’s when stuff starts to crack.'

What's Next At Work?

‘I just finished a series called Carnival Row for Amazon Prime, which is out this winter. I’m playing a very, very strong female character who is a survivor and relentless and a fairy as well, which is wonderful. I’m trying to continue learning about film – I really want to direct and write more projects and create things with a lot of wonderful female friends and people I’ve managed to meet along the way.'

The Pressure Of The 'Gram Game

With over 41m followers, Cara has to deal with her fair share of Insta pressure. ‘It’s a lot to have that many people following you. I don’t think it’s about being polite or trying to get more followers. I think I’m doing something right when I lose followers because that means I’m losing people who don’t agree with what I have to say and if you don’t agree with what I have to say, then you really shouldn’t be following me. There are boys and girls who are very young [who] I’ve managed to see through tough times in their life, whether it’s having to deal with a parent’s death or illness or their sexuality or depression. I’ve seen them come out the other side which is an incredible feeling.'

Kill With Kindness

When it comes to Insta trolls, Cara’s learned to take the high road. ‘The worst thing is that some people have an inner critic. We’ve all had mad things said about us or to us, but the worst voice is your own head, so when you’re looking for these comments, you’re looking for something to confirm the way you feel about yourself. You have to love yourself. It’s about taking a higher path, whether it’s blocking them or getting people to be aware of this person who is being mean or hateful. Kill them with kindness – don’t carry on the hate conversation, just smile and wave.’

Cara Delevingne is the face of Dior Addict Stellar Shine. Dior Addict Stellar Shine Lipstick is available now, £30; dior.com